Iran to respond on new sanctions imposed by US

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic will counter the recent US measures against Iran by further boosting its missile capabilities. “We will respond to recent US measures against Iran’s missile programme by further boosting our missile power,” the minister said, adding that there are no limits to Tehran’s missile programme “because this programme has nothing to do with nuclear weapons”. On Thursday, the US announced economic sanctions against two Iranian companies for supporting Iran’s ballistic missile programme. These sanctions were imposed after Iran test-fired several long-range ballistic missiles earlier this month, which the US said could violate UN resolutions on Iran. Zarif, who was accompanying Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in his two-day visit to Pakistan, also said comments by the US presidential candidates regarding the Islamic Republic’s missile program should not be taken seriously. He added that personal views of the person in charge will not change the fact that Washington is legally bound to respect the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the six world powers in July 2015.